Cattle guard



NOV. 27, 1951 SQMQPHERSQN 2,576,188

CATTLE GUARD Filed Dec. 30, 1949 2 SHEETS -SHEET 1 M FIG 3 l l v? 54 g INVENTOR EDWARD s. MePHERSON FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS Nov. 27, 1951 E 5, MCPHER'SON 2,576,188

CATTLE GUARD Filed Dec. 50, 1949 2 SHEETS-'-SHEET :2

INVENTOR EDWARD S. McPHERSON FIG. 4

h w ammwmm ATTORNEY5 Patented Nov. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CATTLE GUARD Edward S.McPherson, Upton, Wyo. Application December 30, 1949, Serial No. 136,121 4 claims. (01. 256-14) 3 This invention relates to cattle guard devices,

and more particularly to a cattle guard of the tread-operated type adaptedfor use in roadways adjacent railway tracks, at road crossings and at other similar locations which are to be guarded against the passage of cattle, l

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved cattle guard device which provides both a visual and audible disturbance to cattle entering thereon, whereby the cattle will be frightened away from the guard device, the device being very simple in construction, easy. to install, and easy to maintain in operation.-

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved cattle guard device of thetype employing a movable figure and sounding means bothoperated in response to the entry of cattle onto the device, said device being inexpensive to manufacture, being durable in construction, and involving only a few parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an improved cattle guard device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational detail view taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional, detail view taken on line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail, sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the device taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, thecattle guard device is designated generally at II. The guard device comprises a pair of longitudinal side rails l2, l2. Hinged transversely at l3, l3 and I4, [4 to the end portions of the side rails l2, l2 are the respective inwardly and upwardly directed treadle units l5 and [6, each treadle unit com.- prising a plurality of triangular support memhers I! to the top edges of which are secured the transverse boards l8. Pivoted at l9 to the side rails I2 are respective upwardly extending arms 20 connected by respective cables 2| to the upper end portions of the outer support bars ll associated with the respective treadle units [5 and 16. Each arm 20 is biased inwardly by a spring 22 connecting the upper portion of the arm to an inner portion of its associated side rail l2, as shown in Figure 5. Springs 22 therefore bias treadle units l5 and IE to elevated positions.

Embedded in the ground outwardlyadjacenteachrail member [2 are a pair of vertical posts 23, 23 connected by upper longitudinal rails 24,

24 and by lower longitudinal rails 25, 25. Secured:

to the top edges of the rails 24, 24 at their intermediate portions is an apertured plate 26, and

secured to the top edges of rails 25, 25 beneath plate 26 is an apertured plate 21. Extending slidably through the apertured plates 26 and 21 is a vertical rod 28, to the top end of which is secured a mounted figure 29. The bottom ends of the rods 28 are connected by cables 39, 3D to the upper ends of the associated arms 20, whereby the mounted figures 29 will be raised responsive to outward rotation of the arms 20. Thus, when treadle unit It is depressed, the mounted figure 29 in Figure 5 will be raised. When treadle unit I I5 is depressed, the other mounted figure will be raised. Release of the treadle units causes the mounted figures to descend by gravity to their normal positions. Secured to each mounted figure 29 are a plurality of bells 3| which vibrate when the mounted figures are moved.

Secured to the intermediate portions of the respective side rails l2, l2 are longitudinal angle bars 32, and secured between said angle bars ,by

end springs 33, 33 are a plurality of spaced, transverse, elongated wire loops 34. I Connected be tween the intermediate portions of the upper treadle boards l8 of the treadle units I5 and I6 is a longitudinally extending coiled spring 35 which overlies and transversely engages the spaced wire loops 34 in the manner shown in Figure 4, whereby movement of either treadle unit causes the coils of spring 35 to rub against the wire loops 34 and to vibrate said loops, producing a loud twanging sound. Suspended from each wire loop 34 are a plurality of bar members 36, each bar member. being provided with a supporting hook 31 engaged over one side of the loop with the bar member positioned within the loop. Each bar member 36 carries a bell 38 which vibrates when the wire loop is agitated, adding to the noise produced by the vibration of the wire loops.

Designated at 39, 39' are respective longitudinally arranged rows of blocks disposed between adjacent wire loops 34 and rising above the plane of said loops. Each inner row of blocks 39 is connected by a longitudinal bar 40 located at the inner margins of the blocks. The blocks 39 and 39' are spaced so as to allow free vibration of the wire loops 34, but define supporting treadways for the wheels of a vehicle passing over the uard device.

In operation, when cattle attempt to cross the 3 guard device, the cattle depress one or the other of the treadle units I5 or I6, causing one Of the mounted figures 29 to rise and producing a loud noise caused by the vibration of the bells 3| and 38 and the twanging of the wire loops 34. The freely suspended bars 36 also oscillate, adding to the startling visual effect produced by the depression. of, the treadle unit. The combination of moving objects and. loud noises frighten the cattle away from the guard device and prevent the cattle from crossing thereover.

A vehicle may readily traverse the guard device over the tread blocks 39 and 39. blocks are mounted on longitudinal beam mom: bers4l,4l'.

While a specific embodiment of an improved;

Said

alignment with said treadways, a plurality of sounding elements traversing said treadways and connected to said support, a resilient element normally engaging all of said sounding members and operatively connected to said treadles for actuating said sounding members in recattle guard device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art.

Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on theinvention except as defined'loy thescope of'the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A cattle guard for vehicles comprising a support, a pair of horizontally disposed trea'd waysarranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other and secured to said sup port, a treadle arranged at an angle with respect to said treadways contiguous to each end thereof and connected to'said support for move ment from the angular position to-a horizontal position in alignmentwith said treadways, a

plurality of sounding; elements traversing said' treadways and-"connected tosaid support, and a resilient element normally engaging all of said sounding membersand operatively connected to said treadles for actuating said sounding 1116-1. bers in response to'the movement of said treadles from; said angular position to said horizontal position.

2. A cattle guard for vehicles comprising a support, a pair of horizontally disposed treadways" arranged in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other and secured to said sup port, a tread'le arranged at an angle with respect to said treadways contiguous to each end thereof and connectedto said support for movement from the angular position to a horizontal position in alignment with said treadways, a plurality of sounding elements traversing said treadways and connected to said support, a resilient element normally engaging all of said sounding members and operatively connected to said treadles for actuating said sounding members in response to the movement of said treadles from said'angular' position to said horizontal position, and resilient means operatively connected to said reciprocation in response to the movement of said treadles from said angular position to said sponse. to. the movement of said treadles from said angular position to .said horizontal position, resilient means operatively connected to said treadles for normally biasing the sameto said angular position, movably mounted on said support, and means connecting said visual means to said treadles for horizontal position. r

4. A cattle guard for Vehicles comprising a support; apair' of horizontally disposed treadways arranged in spaced parallel relation with 7 from the'angular position to a horizontal posi-- tion in alignment with said treadways, a plurality of sounding elements traversing said treadrespect to each other and secured to said sup port, a treadle arranged at an angle with respect to said treadways contiguous-to each end thereof" and connected to said' support for movement ways and connected torsaid support, and a resilient element normally engaging all of said sounding members andloperatively connected to 40' said treadles for actuating said sounding membersin response to the movement of said treadles from said angular position to said horizontal position, each of said sounding elements comprising an elongated closed loop of wire loosely extending through said treadways and resiliently connected to said support for vibratory movement.

EDWARD S. 'MoPI-IERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 947,268 Wood Jan. 25, 1910 1,514,437 Cobb Nov. 4, 19.24 7

reciprocating visual meansi 

